Lack of guidance makes graduation feel nonexistant

East Los Angeles College students have not received first notice regarding graduation petitions regarding eligibility for graduation.

The end of the spring semester is what every student looks forward to especially if it is their last semester at ELAC. For some students, this means it is their turn to transfer and begin a new journey at a four-year university.

Zuvanny Macias, who is a communication major, will be graduating this semester. She went to see her counselor in December to petition for graduation.

“I am honestly worried. I have worked hard to get all the requirements I need to transfer and to graduate. I should have received an email or a letter in the mail by now about my applications progress. I don’t think it’s fair to all the students here at ELAC who have been waiting for this day to come. It just feels like I am going off a hunch whether or not I am graduating,” Macias said.

There is a flyer that was given to every student once they have petitioned to graduate with a counselor. The flyer is “East Los Angeles College Graduation Information,” which explains what comes next after students see their counselors. In this flyer, it states the following:

“You will be mailed a first evaluation status in approximately four to six weeks.”

The Admissions department wasn’t very helpful in getting answers relating to the evaluations. Instead, I was directed to the Dean of Student Services. I had gone to her office, but she was unavailable to meet, and then I emailed her without a response. I had also called a number that was left on the ELAC graduation website. They had redirected me to admissions where I didn’t get any answers again.

Alejandra Santana will be graduating this spring as well. Santana hasn’t received anything from admissions regarding her first evaluation either.

“I understand they cannot give us our associate’s once final grades are in, but they should at least send the evaluations. Notifying us whether we are still eligible makes sense. I would like the admission,s office to continually update the students on the evaluation status within the time frame they had suggested,” Santana said.

Making students assume they are on the right track is only giving them false hope. Not only to the students. but to the family and friends who have helped the students through their journey at ELAC. Students who petition for graduation are eligible since they have talked to a counselor, but it would be nice to see how the process is going.